Curtain, curtain stretcher, and stretcher clamp



Feb. 1940 F. w. SCHIMMEL ET AL 2,190,388

AND STRETCHER CLAMP CURTAIN, CURTAIN STRETCHER Filed April 12, 1958 LEE Patented Feb. 20, 1940 CURTAIN, CURTAIN STRETCHER, AND STRETCHER CLAIWP Frederick W. Schimmcl, Bay City, Mich., and John Straub, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 12, 1938, Serial No. 201,524

4 Claims.

This invention relates, as indicated, to a novel curtain, stretcher therefor, and clamp or bracket used in conjunction with such stretcher,

A primary object of the invention is to provide a stretcher for laundered and dry-cleaned curtains which. will be effective to stretchthe curtain to its original size and dimensions, without in any way distorting the same, and Without injury or damage to the curtain, such as has heretofore resulted fromthe use of curtain stretchers embodying pins and edge clamps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel clamp or corner bracket, which can be readily applied to the stretcher for the purpose of rigidly holding the same in adjusted condition; which can be quickly and easily removed from the strecher; which does not in any way interfere with the stretching operations; which does not come into contact with the curtains at or adjacentthe corners thereof, and which consists of a minimum number of easily manufactured parts. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel curtain, which isparticularly adapted to bestretched by means of the curtain stretcher of thisinvention, although it isto be understood that other curtains having certain of the novel features of the present curtain may be stretched by the use of the present stretcher, and that conventional types of curtains may be stretched by means of this stretcher by altering the curtains in a manner to be hereinafter described.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and .relatedends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particum larly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting however, but one of various structural forms which the principle of the invention may be used. i

In said annexed drawing,

Fig. l is a plan view of our improved stretcher, in assembled and clamped condition, with a fragment of a curtain secured thereto;

Fig. 2- is a perspective view of the lower right hand corner of the stretcher of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale; i V

Fig. 3 is a perspective view. of, the reverse side of the elements shown in Fig. 2;

4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional taken on the line {l-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

View,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6-45 of Fig. 1. Referring now to the drawing, the stretcher is seen to comprise top and bottom members I and side members 2, the members I being preferably made from stainless steel bars of substantially rectangular cross-section, about 8 ft. long, about 1 inch wide and about A; inch thick, and the members 2 being made of similar stock, and being about l feet'in length. If desired, these bars may be rnade of ordinarily cold-rolled steel, which has been cadmium coated to resist corrosion. Each bar is provided with one inch graduations,

the graduations being numbered in each direction from the center of each bar, as indicated in Fig. 1, so as to facilitate proper assembly of the bars and stretching of the curtains to their original form and dimension. The bars, it may be noted,

are entirely devoid of pins, hooks, edge clamps and the like, which might tend to injure or mark the curtains in any way. i The bars I and 2 are adapted to be maintained in assembled relation, with their ends overlapped, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of corner clamps or brackets 3. Each of theclamps 3 is preferably formedfrom a strip of stainless steel or cadmiurn coated steel, about!) inches long, about 3 inches wide and about inch thick, and comprises a body portion t, which extends at an angle of about 45 tothe bars l and 2, end portions 5, which extend at an angle to the portion 4 and transversely of the bars l, and 2, and rebent flanges 6 which are spaced from the end portions 5 a distance approximately the thickness of the bars land 2. Thefiange B at one end of the clamp, it may be noted, is disposed at the oppositeface oi the body 4 from that at which the flange 6 at the other end of the clamp is disposed. The portions 5 and flanges 6 of each clamp form channels or passages for the bars I and 2, and may be clamped to such bars by means of bolts 1 and wing nuts 8. i

The bolts '5 have square shank portions 9, which are adapted to enter square openings ID in the flanges 6 so as to prevent turning of the bolts when the wing nuts 8 are turned to loosen or tighten the clamps on the bars I and 2. The bolts as shown in Fig.6 extend through portions of the body 4 and flange 6, which are spaced from the bars I and 2, so thatkin securing the bracket to the bars and clamping thesame thereto, it is unnecessary to drill holes in the bars. Moreover, the bars are so clamped that no injury can result thereto from the clamp securing devices, i. e., the bolt l and nut 8.

The stretcher is particularly adapted for stretching curtains having pockets at'the sides as well as at the top and bottom thereof, and each pocket must be open at each end. Such a curtain may be made in a variety of ways, a preferred form of curtain being shown in the drawing, wherein reference numeral 8! designates the front face of the curtain, and I2 the reverse face thereof. The front face is free from hems, all of the hems being exposed at the rear face of the curtain.

The side pockets I3 of the curtain are formed by folding the material at the sides to form a layer I4 which is in contact with the face I2 and a layer I5, which overlies the layer MQthe layers I4 and I5 being stitched to the body of the curtain at'the edges by means of lines of 'After the pocket 2t has been thus formed, the

portion I8 of the layer {Sis stitched at the sides thereof to the layers 2! and I4 by means of lines of stitching 23 and 24.

The top pocket (not shown) of the curtain is 7 made in a manner similar to the bottom pocket, so that further description thereof is deemed unnecessary. I

In stretching the curtain, the top bar I is first inserted through the top pocket of thecurtain, and the bar then supported at its ends'on any suitable supports, the curtain hanging freely from the bar. The bottom bar I is then inserted through the bottom pocket 29 of-the curtain. The side bars 2 are then inserted through the side pockets l3 ofv the curtain. The curtain and bars are then adjusted, and the clamps 3 applied to the bars as shown in Fig. 1 to lock them in adjusted position and maintain the curtainin stretched condition pending drying thereof.

Dueto the fact that the channels orpassages formed by the portions B and flanges 6' of the clamps 3 are open at one side, the clamps may be applied to the bars and removed therefrom by a sidewise movement, thus facilitating assembly and disassembly of the stretcher. Moreover, since the body portions 4 of the clamps extend at an angle to the bars l and 2, they brace and I rigidity the stretcher assembly in a highly desirable manner. Furthermore, since the body portions 4 of the clamps are remote from the points Where the bars I and 2 overlap, and since the clamps are secured to the bars at points thereon which are beyond said overlapping areas, the clamps cannot, in any way, interfere with the stretching operation, or injure or deface the curtain.

Conventional types of curtains having hems at the sides as well as the top and bottom thereof may be stretched by means of the present device, if the pockets formed by the ends are opened at the ends, and portions of the seams which would otherwise obstruct the passage of the bars are removed.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. A clamp for curtain stretchers' and the like, comprising a body, fiat end portions extending from said body portion at an angle thereto and said clamp being formed from a single piece of metal and comprising a body portion, flat end portions extending from said body portion at an angle thereto and at right angles to each other, and flat rebent flange portions over-lying said end portions and spaced from. the latter.

3. A clamp for curtain stretchers and the like, I

said clamp being formed from a single piece of metal and comprising a body portion, end portions extending from said body portions and at an angle thereto, flange portions extending from said end portions in planes at right angles to the plane of said body and end portions, one of said flange portions extending from the plane of said body-portion in a direction opposite to that of to the latter and at right angles to each other, and means interconnecting the flanges of said clamp portions.

FREDERICK W. S'CI-IIMIVIEL. JOHN M. STRAUB. 

